


When Your Past Shows Up On Your Doorstep

by DixieDale



Category: Clan O'Donnell - Fandom, Garrison's Gorillas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-28
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-07-03 12:04:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15818526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DixieDale/pseuds/DixieDale
Summary: Summary:  A visit from Garrison's Uncle Jake and his family threatens to bring an old story to light, and Goniff just isn't sure how Garrison will react.  After all, what he'd snaffled from Garrison back then, it was worth a whole lot more than a stuffed hedgehog, even more than the money he'd lifted from Actor at the same time.  A hell of a lot more.  Thing is, he never expected them to ever find out the truth, not in the beginning certainly, though Garrison's mentioning of Jake's adoptive son had warned him of the possibility.  Now, it looked like a reckoning was at hand.





	When Your Past Shows Up On Your Doorstep

**Author's Note:**

> Post-War - A story of a family reunion, memories and love. Thank you to MarvelMyra for the character of 'Uncle Jake'

Goniff had fallen silent, a slightly worried look on his face, when Craig told them of the impending visit from his Uncle Jake - well, Jake and Lucia Travers and their adopted son, Sam. Samuel Craig Garrison Lucien Travers, to be precise. Garrison saw, wondered a little, but figured he'd find out what was wrong soon enough, and just went on.

"Uncle Jake says they'll be here on Saturday. Meghada, are you up to them staying here, or do we put them up at The Doves?"

"They'll stay here, of course, Craig. And I'm not an invalid, you know; maybe moving a trifle slow yet, but I'm well up to company."

Young Randy, Randall Craig O'Donnell, had made his appearance just a very few weeks ago, much to everyone's delight, and while she appreciated the offer, well, you just didn't send family off to stay elsewhere when there was no real need. 

Goniff fiddled with his spoon for awhile, wrinkling his nose in thought, then cleared his throat awkwardly. "Think maybe there's something I'd better tell you all, before they get 'ere," and proceeded to tell them about young Sam. He'd wondered if he should, but figured waiting til that younger version of himself showed up at the door would just cause a lot of questions he'd have to answer eventually anyway. {"Probably best to get it out of the way before they open the door."}.

So they listened to the tale of another of the Redmond line, spotted solely by chance by Goniff, alone on the streets, his enlisting some old friends to get the small boy to someplace safer, someplace maybe with a future. And just what he'd taken from Actor, from Craig to make that happen, to give the boy the best chance he could for a future. He waited, apprehensively, for their reaction. (Story - 'Nothing But The Truth - Well, More or Less!')

"So THAT's where my money went!" Actor exclaimed, shaking his head in amusement, remembering how much embarrassment the disappearance of his little black book with his three hundred dollars tucked inside had caused him that night. He could still remember the look of utter disgust on Regine's face when he reached for his 'play money' to pay for that luxurious en suite dinner, complete with champagne; the stern disbelief on the face of the m'aitre d' at his explanations. It had been a very long wait for Garrison to arrive with the replacement funds; Regine had NOT waited. Actor never thought he would find ANY amusement in that memory, but now he found he did. 

"And THAT'S where Sam got his name? Not from Uncle Jake?" Craig said, still in disbelief at the whole convoluted situation. He couldn't refrain from a fond smile at the slender blond sitting at the table, thinking just how much of a compliment that had been, especially in those early days.

Goniff gave Craig a slightly sheepish look and shrugged, "didn't think you'd ever find out, you know? Then, when you were telling us bout your Uncle Jake, that night at the pub, and bout 'ow 'e and 'is wife Lucia 'ad adopted a boy, described 'im, gave 'is name and all, just seemed like it was meant to be. Still, wasn't sure 'ow you'd feel about it all, me just snaffling your name like that. (Story - 'Do You Remember The Time . . .').

Meghada had just given an amused shake of her head; after all, she'd witnessed that handing off of the young boy to a solidly reliable Cam Madison several years ago, knew the boy was headed out to her mother and sister. 

It wasn't as awkward as it could have been, that first meeting, though certainly it was best Goniff had decided to be proactive. The resemblance really was astonishing. They all watched, still in amazement at the two, older and younger version of the same face and form. They watched the wry smiles, so similar, so much alike, and heard a slightly shy, "hello, Goniff. It's been awhile."

Then laughter, a warm hug, and both sets of hazy blue eyes became even more hazy with the mist covering them, a mist Goniff blinked away rapidly. "Ei, Sam. Been 'earing good things of you, I 'ave. Told you, 'aving the right name, makes all the difference, didn't I now."

As for Jake and Lucia, it seems Jake had put the pieces together awhile back, once he and Craig were able to correspond more openly. Well, Sam had told them about the 'Goniff' who looked so much like him, who had pulled him off the streets in London, letting him eventually find his way to Jake and Lucia. The description, the name, it was all too much to think it was coincidence, and Caeide had confirmed it all. Jake hadn't mentioned anything to Craig in his letters, though, thinking it was all something best done in person.

Now, the others had disappeared into what they had all dubbed the Common Room, leaving Goniff and Sam alone in the kitchen. Goniff nervously poured himself a cup of coffee, but found himself hesitant about what to offer this younger replica of himself, either in drink or in conversation.

A slow grin showed young Sam recognized that. "Here, I'll help," reaching for the basket of scones on the counter, "and I drink coffee, you know, but if that's as strong as it looks, I'd like cream if there is any. Still trying to grow hair on my chest and I think that could just about kill any that's trying to come along."

That got a snort of agreement from Goniff. "Noticed that, did you? Well, don't know anyone who drinks Meghada's coffee straight up, cept 'er, acourse. Noticed you also 'ave a good grasp on your 'aiches's', too," Goniff acknowledged with a equally slow smile.

"Can use them or not, depending," Sam replied.

A sly grin crept to Goniff's face, as he wiggled his eyebrows, "me too, actually. Just don't, mostly." The acceptance between the two of them was steady, hesitant perhaps, but not in question. 

They were seated now, talking of this and that, just getting acquainted, then there came a long pause. "Why did you give me his name when you could have given me yours? Yours is Grainger, right?" came to break the silence.

Goniff looked at the youngster, the young man, and nodded with a grimace, "told you back then, it was the best name I could think of for you. Mine? Not so much. Got mine from the miserable sod w'at was married to my mother; 'e didn't make it anything to brag on, and I didn't brighten it up any either. Wanted to give you what I could to get you off to a good start, you know. Wasn't much I could do, but giving you Craig's name, that just seemed right." 

"You're not my father," Sam stated firmly, though with a bit of a question in his eyes.

Goniff looked at him, long, who knows what thoughts going through his mind. "No, I aint, Sam. Always made sure . . ." He flushed just a little, glancing at Sam, a little relieved to see the nod of understanding. "Would 'ave done better by you if you were, if I'd 'ave known; wouldn't 'ave left you out on the street, that's for ruddy sure. Likely yer my nephew, maybe a cousin. Still . . . ".

"Still, you could have taken me in here," in a questioning tone. Goniff felt the shame of it, even with his remembering why he couldn't have kept the boy with him, knowing it was important that Sam know the truth of it all.

"Wasn't any 'ERE, not back then, Sam. Wasn't any me and 'Gaida, me and Craig, not back then. You and me meetin up, that was before any of the other 'appened." 

And he told the teenager of the chance spotting of another of the Redmond blood, his impulse to do something to give another the chance he hadn't had, a chance not to have to make the same dire choices, not to experience the hard bitter lessons the East End taught.

"Was working with Craig, with the guys, for the military, working towards a parole," glancing over to see no surprise or condemnation in those blue eyes, only a steady regard, as he told Sam some of his history, not in detail, but enough to give a pretty clear, if uncomfortable, picture. "So I didn't 'AVE a place to bring you, no way of looking after you; ruddy 'ell, Sam, wasn't much I could 'ave offered you. Wouldn't 'ave 'ad a clue about w'at you needed to grow up right. And I knew Maudie 'ad sent others to a friend, giving them a fair chance, so . . ."

Sam looked at Goniff, smiled a smile that was oh so familiar, "and I GOT that chance, Goniff, thanks to you. Cam Madison, he took me to Haven, to Felane and Caeide, and it was a different world, one I'd never even heard of, probably wouldn't have believed if someone had told me! Out in the middle of nowhere, sheep, horses, and other assorted livestock. Felane left after just a few days to go back home, said I'd be safe and comfortable with Caeide, would do fine, and she was right. Caeide, she taught me to read and write, at least the beginnings, made sure I had clothes that fit and didn't have holes in them, and decent food whenever I was hungry, and it seems I was ALWAYS hungry! Promised she would find the right home for me. Worked day and night, she did, keeping everything going, but made time for me still, taught me, talked with me, made me feel, I don't know, safe? Warm? Like I had value, was important, just because I was me. I wasn't sure I wanted to leave there, I could have stayed and helped; she sure could have used the help, but she said there was someplace better, a place just for me, and she was going to find it. And eventually, there was Daddy Jake, and Momma Lucia, and I can't tell you what it was like!"

But he DID tell Goniff, about the two who came all the way to Haven just to meet him, stayed to get to know him, and then took him back home with them, pulling him into the family like he was a piece to the puzzle they'd been missing and searching for for a long time. "And Dad told me it was just meant to be, me already having the family name, and he told me about his nephew, another Craig Garrison, about how proud of his nephew he was, what a good man he was. And I told him about you and all the rest, and he promised he'd try and get us all together after the war was over and things settled down." 

Goniff looked at the younger image of himself sitting across that table, noting with deep satisfaction the unshadowed eyes. Yes, he knew there were bad memories, scars; probably would have been even if he'd found the boy at a much younger age. But not like what HE carried; at least he'd been able to prevent that. 

"Will it disturb you if I start getting dinner together?" Meghada asked from the doorway.

"Dinner??!" came in unison from the two who looked ever so much alike, and she had to laugh at that eager tone, the same light in both sets of pale blue eyes.

"Aye, dinner. I'd worry you spoiled your appetites with those scones, but seems not," getting their fervent assurances that no such thing had happened. The others started trailing in, Lucia and Jake laughing at something Craig had just related, the guys still shaking their heads over the blond youngster and the story Goniff had told them.

"No, Meghada," Lucia laughed, "you don't have to worry about the scones spoiling Sam's appetite. I've never seen anything that could do that," and if she didn't understand the burst of laughter coming from the guys, well, that was fine.

The twin sheepish grins on the two slender blonds sitting at the table still filled Craig with amazement, and he reached out to clasp a wiry shoulder in a firm, warm grip. "You did good, Goniff," he said, smiling down first at his pickpocket, his love, and then over at the teenager, "really, really good."

And Goniff nodded, that smile turning into a broad grin, "think so myself, Craig. Ruddy well think so."

***

As Jake explained later, they'd not made any definite plans for when they'd leave, wanting to see how the reunion went, giving everyone time to get to know each other. Well, there'd been no problems there. After that initial bit of shyness, Goniff and Sam were getting on like a house afire, and the rest of the inhabitants of The Cottages were constantly shifting from acute interest to amusement to disbelief and back round again. The visitors were intrigued with Randy, shaking their heads at the uncanny resemblance even at Randy's young age.

As Jake and Lucia told everyone over drinks late one evening, "it just seemed like it was meant to be. We'd wanted kids, but that never happened. Gabrielle, Lucia's older sister, knew the O'Donnells well; had stayed with Felane and Lupan when they'd asked her help with a certain ten-year old," casting a amused look over at Meghada, "a ten-year old who was having a little trouble with, oh, how should I put it? Learning to be a little less direct in her resolution of conflict? Developing a more nuanced approach to obtaining the desired outcome?"

Goniff grinned broadly, "trying to guide 'er into something more subtle than a knife through the 'eart??!" getting laughs from everyone, and a rueful shrug from the no-longer-ten-year-old in question, accompanied by an insincere pout.

"I admit there was some petty quibbling about blood stains and such. I TOLD them I'd mop them up!" The laughter turned into a roar. 

"Well, during that time, Gabrielle discovered Felane had a penchant for taking in what the Clan called 'jewels amongst the cobblestones', those seemingly unappreciated and undervalued by the Outlanders, trying to give those 'jewels' a more proper setting than where they'd found themselves. So, when Lucia and I were bemoaning the lack of progeny once again, Gabrielle suggested we contact Felane. From what we heard, we knew we'd have to prove ourselves worthy; Felane didn't just let her 'jewels' go off with just anyone, and always made a painstaking effort to be sure the setting was the right one. I can only imagine she found it all terribly amusing, sitting there at our table, telling us about a boy currently living with her oldest daughter, Caeide; a boy she thought might be just the right one for us, provided she determined we would be the right ones for him. There was just something in that twinkle in her eye, you know??"

Lucia took over, "well, it was amusing; at least I found it so then, and even more so later, of course. She'd finished describing the youngster she had in mind for us, finishing with, "oh, and his name is Sam. Well, to be precise, Samuel Craig Garrison. I think you'll like him. Seems he'd fit in quite well, be just like a member of the family before you know it." The look on Jake's face, it was absolutely priceless. There was a little bit of confusion when Jake got the wrong idea, though Felane quickly put him to rights. No, I phrased that wrong; Felane promptly confused him even more with a sly, "No, he's not your nephew, or would it be grand-nephew, well, not exactly, though in broader terms, I suppose . . . Oh, well, I'm sure you'll all figure out how all the pieces fit, eventually."

"Of course, when you looked at the ages, Craig, you'd have had to have been very busy quite young for Sam to be your son, though that was, understandably, Jake's first thought, though with her saying the boy was Cockney, that would hardly have been likely. Well, Sam eventually told us how he'd gotten the name as a gift, from "a bloke what looked just like me; said 'is name was Goniff', 'e did"; told us why this Goniff had given Sam the name, 'said a boy needed a good name, a name 'e could be proud of, and that was the very best one 'e could think of for a boy to 'ave." Once Jake heard about what you were doing, about your team, in particular about YOUR Goniff, we flat out asked Felane and she laughed and admitted everything. Well, even if she did get a little extra amusement out of it all, we can't begrudge her that. She was right, we all fit together quite well, formed a family in little to no time. We've all been looking forward to the war being over, everything settled down enough we could bring off this little gathering." 

They'd set out alone, just the two of them, walking over to the Mansion, since Jake had shown some curiosity about the place the team had been stationed during the war. They'd talked of this and that, when, after a brief silence, Jake had laughed out loud. Craig looked at him, a brow raised in question about what would have caused that sound, that sheer amusement on Jake's face.

"Just thinking about how I was always called the black sheep of the family by your parents. Nephew, I think you might just be in the lead for that title now. My loving sister and her dear husband, can you imagine what they'd think about your enterprise, your new family? If they found Lucia an uncomfortable choice, Meghada would have sent them into spasms. And Goniff, oh my lord!!"

Craig found he couldn't laugh about it, even now; even the smile on his face was tight and strained. "Goniff is the one who chased them away finally, you know? Their voices in the back of my head, the ones always telling me I wasn't good enough, wasn't trying hard enough, would never be what they expected me to be. I know Lynn tried to tell me differently, that what they wanted was perfection, which wasn't possible, wasn't necessary; you did too. It took Goniff giving me a real dressing down to make me believe it. He told me he didn't WANT me to be perfect; that he'd find it 'ruddy annoying'! Said he, they all, had enough to deal with with Actor's little superior ways! Told me that if anyone came around expecting me to be perfect, I should just tell them to get lost! Though I'm not sure those were his exact words, that last bit. I think it was something a little more blunt! After that, whenever they tried to come back, I thought back on what he'd said and let Goniff handle it, just like he did before. You know, Jake, I could almost visualize it, him scolding so fiercely and flapping his hands, driving them away like a pair of indignantly clucking chickens! Of course, I was half out of my head with malaria that first time, but still, it worked. It still does." (Story 'In Search of Perfection')

Jake stopped, turned and looked his nephew squarely in the eye. "Your parents were the ones who weren't good enough, Craig. They acted like headmasters at a strict military school, not like parents. They didn't deserve you and Lynn. I'm glad you found a better family, a family that appreciates you, loves you."

It took another few steps before Craig said what he'd been hesitant about bringing up, but felt he had to. "You haven't asked about Goniff, about why . . ."

Jake shook his head. "I didn't need to, Craig. It's easy enough to see. You're with Goniff for the same reason I'm with my Lucia; something along the lines of that old cliche 'best thing that ever happened to me'. Am I right?"

And Craig slowly nodded, "exactly." They continued their walk to the Mansion, once again talking about this and that, important and unimportant, family getting reacquainted after being apart.

Meanwhile, Lucia and Meghada were getting to know each other better, all in the company of little Randy.

"He looks so much like Goniff, but those green eyes! They're an exact match for Craig's!" Lucia remarked.

Meghada has just nodded in contented agreement, "aye, well, with the Clan things like that happen sometimes."

"Makes me wish again what I've thought so often, that we'd been given Sam earlier, before he'd gone through so much," a solemn look on Lucia's face.

"You can't dwell on that, you know; just relish you were given him when you were. That's what I do with Goniff. I saw them that day, from inside Maudie's pub, when Goniff sent Sam off with Cam Madison. I didn't know Goniff hardly at all then, certainly not well, but that sight purely tore at me. You could see how much he wanted to keep the boy with him, could see the sheer dogged determination it took to send the child off to a better future than he could offer, a better life than what he'd had. I was so proud of what he was doing!" 

Lucia nodded, "Sam told us about that, told us about that first night. Says Goniff pulled him away from some 'toff' who'd approached him, then took him to Maudie's place, fed him a good dinner, "and 'e said I didn't 'ave to do nothing for it, neither, just eat it, real slow as not to get sick!" Like he still couldn't believe someone had offered him food without wanting something in return. He said he was really scared when Goniff and Maudie made him bathe, crawl into bed, but that Goniff sat beside him in a big chair all night, kept his distance, kept Sam calm when Marisol came in later to talk to Goniff. Dear lord, Meghada, if Goniff hadn't found him when he did . . .! I've never been to that part of London. Are such things common there?"

"Lucia, you've lived within your own extended family, really a very protected atmosphere in many ways. Such things are common enough in the East End, but hardly limited to there. Perhaps nothing quite so blatent in some places, more so in others, but even Mayfair could tell stories. The Mansion, where Craig and Jake are walking to, it proves that well enough," and she proceeded to tell Lucia about that room at the Mansion, locked and boarded up, with dire warnings posted on the door. (Story 'Night Visitors')

Lucia listened with ever widening eyes, "this is true, Meghada? Not just a wild tale??"

"Aye, it's true. Evil exists in many forms, and while it particularly likes to prey on children, those are not its only victims." Lucia opened her mouth to ask another question, this one about Goniff and why he'd been so determined to protect Sam, find a way to give him a better future, but decided against it. Some things she just didn't want to know, not for sure.

The subject turned back to Sam, the first meeting, bringing him home with them. "At his age, I thought it would take longer for us to form a real bond, become a family; I was so wrong! Caeide had given him a good start, teaching him to read and write a little, worked on his figures, and he had a keen mind, one eager for learning. That was the key, I think; we'd be so involved in a reading lesson, or writing, showing him maps and the globe, explaining about the stars, answering the thousand and one questions he'd come up with, none of us had the time to be apprehensive, for it to be awkward. And feeding him! Oh, my! The appetite on that child! Well, he'd been half starved when he got to Caeide's, of course, but she worked on getting him built up. I thought his appetite would ease off once we had him well-nourished again, but it never has."

Meghada grinned at that, then laughed, "and if he's anything like Goniff, I doubt it ever will! Seems they're born with it; I know Randy is already for his next meal!"

Lucia continued, "the family made us step back from any jobs, not that we protested; Gabrielle and the others, they said Sam WAS our job, forming our new family was what we needed to be doing, and they were right. We introduced him to the others, but in small doses, and they were careful not to overpower him. Well, you know what my family is like, get a group of them together and it's wild! They took to him without question, and if he was a little shy with them to begin with, he got over that. My mother, she told us right from the start, "you decide you don't want that little sweetheart, you just give him to me!" Of course, I think she knew that was never going to happen."

Sam had spent those few hours in the company of Goniff and the guys, and although they received some laughing complaints when they all trouped into Meghada's kitchen straight from the lake, wet, muddy, smelling of fish, none of it was in earnest. Later, when Jake and Lucia were ready to settle in for the night, during that last goodnight conversation that had become a regular event in their household, Sam expounded on all he'd heard.

"And Goniff says he'll work with me on some of what he knows, and the others did too! Could I really do that? I mean, spend some time here, learning from them??"

Jake gave a slow smile, "that just might be possible, Sam. For now, just settle back and go to sleep. Tomorrow looks to be another busy day." 

It was evening, the meal finished, but no one leaving the table just yet. "Aunt Gabrielle said you trained with her, Meghada. Did you REALLY chase three horse thieves over the cliffs with a boar spear, when you were just ten?? Aunt Gabrielle said that's why your parents asked her to come work with you a little," Sam asked, to the amused grins of everyone else at the table.

Meghada flushed, but admitted, "well, that's probably part of it. I got a stern lecture about maybe next time I should ring the alarm bell, sitting right there on top of the post in the pasture expressly for that purpose, rather than grabbing my spear and go chasing after three grown men. Of course, that was after the lecture about my telling Cylie McMasters a few choice facts about himself, his parentage and probable habits, when I caught him trying to make himself free with a girl just a year or two older than me, and her scared half to death and crying. Of course, it could be me describing, knife in hand, just how I could rid himself right easily of what was currently getting himself into trouble. Sent him running, that did. Mother told me a good loud scream would have brought half a dozen grownups on the scene, and no knives being involved. Then, there was . . ."

Another two or three examples, and by now the table was roaring.

"A trifle un-subtle even for the Clan, it would appear," Actor interjected.

Meghada shrugged, "aye, well, you know subtle isn't a Clan trait, but it was the considered opinion of many of the family that I was rather more, um, BLUNT?, than even the others. They thought Gabrielle might help me come up with alternatives."

Goniff snorted in derision, "and just w'at was the 'considered opinion' after Gabrielle worked with you?"

Meghada grinned, "they thought it was an amazing successful idea! Seems it made a world of difference."

There came another roar louder than the first.

"No, really! I'm much less blunt now," she protested.

That led to a wild recounting of stories from Garrison, Goniff and the others, all illustrating that 'much less blunt' Meghada.

"Yes, we'll have to tell Gabrielle what a difference her lessons made," Lucia laughed.

Craig cast his mind back over their shared history, what he knew, what he suspected, and shuddered what she would have been like WITHOUT the intervention by Gabrielle Lucien!

Goniff? Well, he remembered that story from the pub, the one recounting tales of the Red Dragon, in particular that one of a red-headed female warrior, screaming like a banshee in triumph, one hand holding a sword aloft, a bloody head in the other hand. Aye, he could see that; didn't see anything much wrong with the picture either. In fact, got him all hot and edgy just thinking about it. He cast a warm sly look over at his Dragon, getting an equally sly one in return, one with enough heat in it to make him eager for the evening to end. (Story - 'Hello, Dolly')

Things were going so well, Jake and Lucia felt comfortable leaving to take care of some over-due business, leaving Sam behind at The Cottages to further the acquaintance. Everyone had been careful not to inquire too deeply into what that 'over-due business' was; that just wouldn't have been polite. Though he did ask Meghada later, "do we have enough in the till for bail money, if it's needed?" She'd just laughed, "they've not been caught yet, not that I've heard of, Craig. But, yes, we do, just in case." 

And so they each took their time getting to know Sam, let him get to know them. If Sam was disappointed at not being able to immediately master the sticky fingers work Goniff reveled in, well, he DID equal the man in climbing, and his 'innocent as a four year old' expression might have even been a tad better. Well, even Goniff admitted, "got the advantage there, 'e does; that gets a little 'arder to pull off once you get a few years on you."

And it seemed he had a strong dose of that early talent that had caught Alfie Burke's eye with Goniff; probably Sam could become as good as Casino in time, their safecracker was quick to admit. His conversations with Actor about art and literature, him being more knowledgeable, more interested than you'd expect of a boy of his age, his background, they caused such a knowing look of sly amusement in Goniff's blue eyes that Actor finally had to come to grips with the fact that Goniff had indeed been conning him for all this time - maybe not always, but a goodly portion of the time; well, he'd suspected it on various occasions, but now it was just too obvious to deny.

Chief and Douglas adopted an 'older brother' position, and all parties seemed to enjoy that. Sam learned more of the hand-to-hand techniques than he'd known before, cheerfully garnering a few bruises along with the learning. Both men were surprised, but pleased, to find the boy was already close to their equal with knives; by the time their lessons were over, Sam had his own custom-made knife sheath and was practicing every day to try and beat Chief to the draw. Lynn pampered him, tried to spoil him, to his equal enjoyment and teenage embarrassment. Craig and Meghada? Well, there was a bit of the 'older sibling' relationship there too, perhaps looking at him as a favorite nephew. They watched the interaction and smiled, getting just a glimpse of what they had to look forward to in Randy. 

The time passed quickly, and when Jake and Lucia returned, it was with more than a little reluctance they all watched young Sam leave. "He'll be back, you know. He has a lot to learn, and we can help with that. Well, it's only right. He IS family," Craig had smiled over at the slightly downcast Goniff.

That seemed to do the trick; those blue eyes brightened somewhat, "that's right; 'e is now, isn't 'e! Every reason for 'im to come visiting again! Sides, we never did get over to the Mansion to try 'im on climbing those clay tiles w'en they get wet. And I STILL think 'e could get the 'ang of the sticky fingers bit with some practice. And . . ."

Garrison laughed. "Well, better him than Randy. Meghada wasn't too impressed with your notion of starting to get HIM used to heights, you know. She was fine with your explaining the difference in the quality of pearls, and types of fastenings and how to get them loose, but says he needs to be more than six weeks old before you start taking him up on rooftops."

Goniff nodded reluctantly, "ai, well, maybe she's right in that. But you know,Craig, you gotta start young to learn the job right. We'll see 'ow she feels about it in another month or two, ei?" Garrison threw back his head and roared, knowing how THAT conversation would go.

**Author's Note:**

> Jake Travers (the Garrison's uncle on their mother's side, blacksheep of the family)  
> Lucia Travers (nee Lucien) - Jake's wife and sister to the celebrated, ie notorious Gabrielle Lucien  
> Both adoptive parents to one young fourteen year old Samuel Craig Garrison Lucien Travers - the East End street waif rescued by Goniff, back in the early days.


End file.
